St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-28
CURRENT COMMENT.

1t is said the bill amending the city charter
by constituting the board OF public works has
been drawn and placed in the hands of a
member of the Hennepin delegation. If true
this is singular and summary method of
procedure. 1t will be represented to the leg
islature that the bill comes from the council
OF Minneapolis bearing its Endorsement and
nothing is further from the truth. Outside
of the committee on legislation, there is no
member of the council that is familiar with
the provisions of the bill, which is the work
of few men who propose to ride it through
the state congress before any one shall be the
wiser. Aid. Johnson made Il report from the
committee, but it was simply an oral one III
which he told, in his not particularly lucid
style, some Of the points on which the COM
mttee had agreed. For instance, he went
along something like this: 1--WE thought the
board had better consist of two Democrats
and two Republican to be named in the BILL
Some one suggested that pc chaps the bill
should read that not more than two members
should belong to any one political party. TO
which johnson responded YES, we might
make it that way" Now who knows and
who decided which way it should read? With
such proceeding it is small wonder the people
should arise, regardless of party, to protest.
~
There is one provision of the bill, as pro-
posed, That would make n donkey smile 1t
did make every member of the council smile
when he heard it, and yet none objected. DOS
sibly because he expected chance at the bill
itself. This provision is that the four mem
bers of the board shall elect the city engineer
who shall cast the deciding vote in case of n
tie. This makes the engineer, who is the
creature of the board, really its master 1t
was humorouSly suggested that in case the
board should be a tie on the question whether
or not to re-elect the engineer. that that Off
cal. with the deciding VOTE need not hesitate
long how to east it. But the sweeping obiec-
tirn the hill is fhat
changes which have not been canvassed, are
not thoroughly understood, and are the work
of few men.
Another well-rooted objection is found In
the proposition to put the sc new schemes
into Immediate operation. Every man
clothed with power for limited time. by the
voice of the people, should, at the end of his
term, return that power upimpaired to those
who gave it. So far as he is concerned. the
power should neither be decreased or in
creased while in his possession The people
for instance, clothed the mayor with certai n
powers and responsibilities. The propos ed
police commission will rob him of some of
those powers and he canno at the end of his
term, return TO the people the full power
they gave him. Those who vote to deprive
him of this power really deprive the people
of the power, taking out of their hands rights
and privileges which now belong to them.
The police commission idea has some few
friends-not many, however. Its origin is a
little amusing. Col. c. W. Johnson, Deacon
A b. Nettieion and few others decided TO
spring it, which they did, under the guise of
non-partisan meeting at the West MOTEL. 1t
was about as non-partisan as all of the other
political acts of those gentlemen; or about as
non-partisan as that delectable little sheet
known as the Transcript After the idea was
Matched, it was sprung us new matter upon
the board of trade, which venerable organiza-
ZION LOOK lt and prPnarad q hill .IutOa
Fish drew the bill, but did it in his official Gu
paclty only. He does not favor it in its pres
ent shape, and who that Will read it carefully
could! This bill must not be COMPOUNDED with
that introduced in the legislature by E. F.
Comstock. Who drew the Comstock bill will